Some 'pals' from Pallarenda

Keep coming across one or two 'pals' at Pallarenda while checking on progress of breeding Tawny Frogmouths lately in the conservation park. First up, young Australian Raven, one of four immatures noising and nosing about the place today.

Immature Black-backed Magpie, one of three mostly sticking close to one or other of parents.

Alone, but happy to accept relatively close company of tailing photographers, Pacific Baza.

Not quite so confiding, Channel-billed Cuckoo making welcome descent tree tops and allowing briefest of clear views.

Not totally clear but impressive enough, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo landing on Casuarina near beach today.

Quieter today than full screechy overhead yesterday, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Nothing to say from these two Tawny Frogmouths of course. Older image, taken before the two quit nest about 10 days ago to go walkabout in nest tree. Question is, why male back on nest in last three days. Could there be a new egg? Wait and see. 

Red-winged Parrot helps find Black-throated Finches

Red-winged Parrot not primary target of quick drive 40km west of Townsville but this male feeding on roadside weed seeds took the eye. Which was just as well since the stop near a cattle station gate led to finding a mixed lot of finches and mannikins feeding on fallen seeds.

Among Plum-headed and Zebra finches, four Black-throated Finches, two of which flew to within a metre of me at the gate before heading off across the road. But one of the two others paused in a nearby tree before darting away again.

Taking the eye elsewhere, female Figbird with the species favourite food.

And Red-tailed Black Cockatoo female getting to the tasty section of a coastal almond.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from some Townsville Common friends

Crimson Finch, Golden-headed Cisticola, Dollarbird, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Black Swan, Pelican and Royal Spoonbill, Red-backed Fairy-wren, and one of two unexplained recent arrivals.

Cockatoos after Yasi blasts tree

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos in blasted Indian almond hours after Cyclone Yasi blasted through Ingham. Probably be some time before small flocks return to the area. No personal poignancy to match this, thankfully..
Click pix to enlarge

Of a cockatoo and almond I sing

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoos have been raiding the Indian almonds again at the caravan park. Perch and shred them, nip them off, drop them and go to ground and shred them, makes little difference to the birds. But ground-munchers make it easier for me. Female above was happy to let me quite close in the morning sunlight earlier this week (click pic to enlarge). Still hoping for a decent in-flight picture!

Capturing things in flight comes naturally to Willie Wagtails. One of the pair in more or less permanent possession of the hide and its surrounding paperbarks in Tyto snapped up a dragonfly yesterday morning. Looked in general guide to North Queensland fauna but couldn't ID it.

Today, while creeping about looking for Bush-Hens under trees beside an overgrown creek (and being distracted by the first Spectacled Monarch seen for many weeks) this dragonfly persistently flew into the shade and posed on a dead stem. It appears to be one of the same species that made up part of the Willie's breakfast yesterday.

A closing note, on the floods and bird counts: February's 89 total species sighted was about 10 down on lowest previous tally (in past five years). This month has brought just 56 species, about 15 fewer than I'd have expected. But a solitary Latham's Snipe appeared today, a pair of Green Pigmy Geese have returned to the largely deserted open waters, and the insectivores are more visible in resurgent grassland and woodland. The signs point to a count of about 110 for March. We'll see!  

Red tails in the sunset

A small flock of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii) has graced the caravan park over the past week. The birds are drawn to Indian almond trees. More exactly, to the tough, fibrous fruit. Above, a male flourishes its crest in late afternoon light. 

The birds have two feeding strategies. Pluck the almonds and eat them while perched in the tree. Or litter the ground beneath the tree with branches bearing the almonds and descend to eat them. A female (above) makes light of ripping into a tough green almond.

Either way, feeding is accompanied by companionable chat conducted in hoarse squawks. Full volume alarm screeches can make the birds somewhat less lovable.

Once the almonds have been stripped from the trees the cockatoos will move on, usually toward the beaches, where they can find more almonds and also tuck into casuarina nuts. Less often, they tackle green pine cones in the district's forestry plantations.

Hard to catch the birds' coloured tail panels in flight, but this male showed off 'reddily' while preening late this afternoon.